THE Bureau of Customs has seized a shipment of agarwood worth P4.7 million, reputedly the world’s most expensive tree, in a warehouse in Pasay City, supposed to be exported to Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The shipment, declared as mahogany chips, was discovered by the bureau after receiving intelligence information about the alleged attempt to smuggle the agarwood out of the country.
A thorough physical examination revealed a total of 5.7 kilograms of rare agarwood
A kilo of agarwood fetches as much as P750,000. A whole tree is worth tens of millions of pesos.
Agarwood is a non-timber type of tree cultivated for its sap or resin which is used in the perfume and scents industry.
The tree is very rare and is found in the deepest parts of the jungles of Southeast Asia, including the Philippines.
“These shipments violated the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), as well as the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines and the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act,” the BOC said.
The confiscated agarwood will be turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for proper disposition.
BOC-NAIA district collector Yasmin Mapa emphasized the port’s dedication in protecting the nation’s borders against the illicit trade of goods, especially of endangered species of wild flora and fauna.
